Study Haul, Part 1 - 1999 Chevy Camaro

Everyone knows that school isn't supposed to be fun. You're there to learn. Even at the automotive level, it's all about the kind of hard work only a true car crafter could love. Those are the dedicated people you'll find at Lincoln Technical Institute (LTI), which has been training automotive technicians for over 50 years at locations nationwide.

With a 900-student enrollment and a new BMW factory-training facility about to open, the Automotive Division of LTI's Columbia, Maryland, campus already has a lot going for it. Thanks to Executive Director Ron Beall, now it has even more. Beall is an automotive enthusiast who knows a good idea when he sees it. So when a high-mileage '99 Z28 Camaro became available, he arranged to "enroll" the car at LTI. Beall recognized two things: He already had drag-racing enthusiasts on his staff, and the LS1 family of GM V-8s is destined to be the high-performance engine of the future.

Under the supervision of LTI automotive instructors Roy Gray and Clement Trusty, the Camaro became part of the curriculum. Their goal was to demonstrate automotive theory using this modern performance vehicle and bolt-on parts. The only criteria Mr. Beall insisted on was that the students had to perform the installations with instructor supervision.

Before the students' work could begin in earnest, the first stop was to Auto Fab, a professional chassis shop in Elkridge, Maryland. The owner, Mark Constantine, gladly donated his time and machine to demonstrate how to properly four-wheel scale the Z28. The Camaro weighed in at 3,436 pounds, with 56.6 percent of the total concentrated up front.

Now it was time for a baseline trip to the dragstrip. After suffering through years of near-drought conditions, Maryland experienced one of the wettest springs in recent history. One local track had 19 rainouts through midsummer. The students couldn't use the same facility for all the tests, but in addition to the raw times, they also kept track of weather conditions to help evaluate the results.

The '99 Chevrolet Z28 Camaro started out with a 4L60-E four-speed automatic overdrive transmission and a 3.23 open rear gear. At the beginning of these tests, it had already clocked over 100,000 miles but was still potent nonetheless. The students coded the ECM and found no faults and then replaced the oil with Royal Purple 10W30 and installed a new filter. With no more prep than that, they drove the car 60 miles to Cecil County Drag Way in northeast Maryland where instructor Roy Gray took advantage of good weather to lay down a respectable baseline e.t. of 13.41 at 105.21. This was the best weather they would see for the rest of the tests, so this is no soft baseline.

This number becomes more impressive when you factor in the dismal 2.19 60-foot time. The combination of a cold track and hard Goodyear street tires made traction scarce. In fact, the 2.19-second 60-foot times were achieved with the traction control engaged. It was obvious the Camaro had more engine than chassis. The class decided to put their initial efforts into improving traction.

The students installed a set of Alston bolt-in frame connectors, lower control arms, and a Panhard bar, along with KYB eight-way adjustable AFX shocks on all four corners. They then set the fronts on the softest No. 1 setting with the rears firm at No. 8. They also bolted on a pair of P245/50R16 Nitto drag radials and set the cold pressure at 18 psi. To save time, the second session took place at Capital Raceway in Crofton, Maryland. The air was not as good as the first session, keeping the car in the 13.50-second range at 104 mph. However, the 60-foot times improved to 2.0 seconds flat. We felt this was decent for an open-rear 3.23-geared car with a stock torque converter. The factory torque converter was so tight it was difficult to stall much past 1,500 rpm. This was definitely an area for future consideration.

Next, the students were called upon to improve the Z's breathing. First, they replaced the stock air filter with a Rush low-restriction element and added a larger Quarter-Mile Performance airbox lid. The stock airbox on a fourth-generation F-Body has very small slots at its front to access incoming air. SLP makes a diffuser that taps into the high-pressure area in front of the radiator. This is very slick and it looks factory. To complement this intake improvement, the students also installed a set of Hooker long-tube leaders and corresponding Y-pipe. This matched well with the Flowmaster American Thunder 3-inch exhaust and tailpipes that completed the system. The students also bolted in Caspers Electronics O2 simulators to keep the ECM's warning light off. Finally, the students topped the engine with a set of MSD ignition wires.

Back at Capitol's dragstrip, the weather continued to be below average. A low-pressure system had parked over the mid-Atlantic Coast, but the LS1 didn't seem to care. It responded with several sub-13.20 runs with a best 13.15 at 107.31 mph, which benefited from high-1.90 60-foot times. They achieved the best times with the trans left in Drive, shifting at 6,000 rpm. With the stock 3.23 gears, the Z was crossing the finish line at well under 5,000 rpm.

It was clear a gear change was necessary to give the Camaro a bit more leverage on the starting line and to take advantage of the LS1's top-end power. The students responded with a set of Richmond 4.10 gears, an Auburn Pro series limited-slip, and 3 quarts of Royal Purple gear lube. In the interest of safety and durability, they also installed a set of Moser C-clip axles.

On the Z's first run with the deeper gears, the Camaro pulled off 12.85 at 110.21 mph, and now the Nittos were audibly breaking loose on the First-to-Second shift. The 60-foot times did not drastically improve with a 1.94. This led them to believe the Nittos needed less air and more heat from a longer burnout. But despite these limitations, the Camaro picked up more than a half-second and 5 mph with minimal changes. For a stock automatic trans and converter car, those are impressive numbers.

With very little fanfare, the students at managed to put this 100,000-mile pump-gas Camaro well into the 12s with no cam change, headwork, or major engine work. In fact, the LS1 still has its original spark plugs. Given the Camaro's 110-mph trap speed, there's enough power to make low 12s a distinct possibility.

Next month, plans for their second semester include replacing the intake manifold, valvetrain, and torque converter with pieces from SLP, BBK, Comp Cams, and TCI. Combine these changes with some ECM reprogramming and a little Mustang 250 chassis-dyno time, and you can see this curriculum is going to get very serious.

Dragstrip Times

Conditions

Modifications

(Baro, Temp, Humidity)

e.t./mph/60-ft

Baseline

30.65, 55F, 65%

13.41/105.21/2.19

Tires, shocks, bars

29.85, 75F, 80%

13.53/104.20/2.00

Intake, exhaust, wires

29.75, 80F, 85%

13.15/107.31/1.97

4.10 gear, posi, axles

N/A

12.85/110.21/1.94

Parts List

Component

Manufacturer

Part Number

Frame connector

Alston

102410

Lower rear control arms

Alston

401010

Panhard bar

Alston

401001

Adjustable torque arm

Alston

402015

Headers, long tube

Hooker

2253HKR

Y-pipe

Hooker

16723HKR

Drag tires, NT555R

Nitto

245/50R16

Air filter

Rush

730003

Ignition wire set, LS1

MSD

32819

Ring and pinion set

Richmond Gear

6903221

Installation kit

Richmond Gear

8310161

Limited slip

Auburn

542044

Exhaust system

Flowmaster

17199

Oxygen simulator

Casper

4033

Cold-air induction

SLP

21033

Rear axles

Moser

AC102804

The Place to LearnThe following is a list of the major Lincoln Tech campuses across the country that offer the Automotive Technology program. For more information, go to www.lincolntech.com.